1. The Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for use in boating sports. More specifically, the present invention relates to inventive inflatable hip grip and seat for insertion into a cockpit of a boat.
2. The Relevant Technology
Kayaking is a growing sport in the United States and throughout the world. There are a number of different types of kayaking and the boats and paddles associated therewith are designed for the particular type of activity engaged in. Thus, there are both calm water kayaks and white water kayaks along with sea or ocean kayak. For centuries, Eskimos have paddled Arctic waterways to hunt and fish in kayaks, a type of canoe built from skins stretched over a frame. Today""s high-tech versions of the kayak, made from plastic, Kevlar and fiberglass, are still decked with a cockpit for the rider, who propels the boat with a double-bladed paddle.
The sport of kayaking is growing rapidly in popularity. It is believed to be second only to snowboarding in growth. Driving that growth is a recent revolution in hull design that has made doing tricks, such as wave surfing, squirts and spins, much easier. There are an estimated 1.3 million white water kayakers in the United States, 400,000 of whom can be considered xe2x80x9centhusiasts.xe2x80x9d One of the reasons for the increasing popularity of the sport is that a kayaker can experience solitude and wilderness on the one hand and excitement on the other.
Recent developments in kayaks has fueled the increased interest in the sport. In some instances, kayak builders have followed innovations in surfboards to come up with boats that xe2x80x9cplane,xe2x80x9d riding on top of the water instead of in the water.
As kayaks have improved and developed, additional sports and activities are possible. Where traditional kayakers simply traveled a waterway, modern kayakers maneuver and perform tricks to improve and demonstrate their skills. To promote these types of activities, kayak rodeos are springing up around the country. Many of today""s kayaks are specifically designed to be used in rodeos. These boats are generally small and sharply angled. These boats, however, are not ideally suited for river running in that they are too slow and do not track well. Thus, xe2x80x9cpark and playxe2x80x9d is a growing phenomenon, while down-river running is declining in popularity. This marks a radical departure from the roots of these sports, which were born from the need to get from one place to another. Thus, innovation is allowing more people to enjoy kayaking and to do different things on a river.
Generally, the kayakers sit in an opening in the shell of the kayak. This opening is known as the cockpit. Once the kayaker is seated within the cockpit, a skirt is often placed over the cockpit to prevent the interior of the kayak from filling with water in the event of a roll. In modem kayaks, a contoured seat is generally provided within the cockpit to provide the kayaker with a more comfortable ride. The seat may be supplied with a pad for an even more comfortable seat.
An important element that is also located within the cockpit is the hip grip. The hip grips are generally made from a foam material that is fastened on the sides of the cockpit. The hip grips are positioned within the cockpit such that the hips of a seated kayaker are engaged by the hip grips. Thus, the hip grips connect the kayak to the boater""s hips transferring the kayaker""s body movements directly to the kayak. This connection increases the maneuverability of the kayak.
There are only a few sizes and configurations of hip grips currently available. The hip grips are generally wedge-shaped and made of a rigid, hardened foam material. Because the hip grips are available in only a few sizes, they must be customized to fit each user. A user will purchase a generically sized hip grip and then file and sand it to custom fit the intended user. The rigid wedge shape of most hip grips may cause pain and discomfort after a long run or frequent kayaking. This pain is caused because the rigid hip grips push into the hip contacting pressure points and causing bone compression.
Often, the customized hip grips are permanently glued to the inside of the cockpit with a waterproof glue. When kayaks are used by more than one user, the users may have vastly different sizes and body types. Because of the increased popularity of the sport, many kayaks are available for rent. Moreover, kayak equipment can be expensive and is frequently shared among family members or friends. The glued-in hip grips are not readily customizable to each potential user of the kayak.
Even among kayakers of the same general size, the fit of a hip grip is very personal. One kayaker may desire that his hip grips fit more snugly than another kayaker. Additionally, a kayaker may desire a different fit depending on the type of kayaking activity and his level of fatigue. When a kayaker is preforming tricks, it may be desirable to have a tight fitting hip grip to have increased control over the kayak. When a kayaker is on a longer trip such as a river run, a tight hip grip may be uncomfortable. Also, a kayaker may prefer a tight fit at the beginning of a run and a looser fit as he becomes fatigued. The presently available hip grips are not adjustable and do not allow for a user to change the fit for his individual preferences.
The popularity of water sports is not only limited to kayaking. Other types of small boats such as canoes, rafts, and row boats are very popular with recreationalists. These small boats are frequently used in the same rivers, lakes, and other waterways as kayaks. For example, boaters using canoes, rafts, and row boats run white water rapids. Because of the danger associated with white water running, these boaters, like kayakers, must have control of their boats at all times. A significant element of controlling a boat is the amount and strength of the contact between the boater and the boat. There is currently a lack of devices that can be inserted into these small boats to aid the boater with control of the boat.
The sport of kayaking could be improved by providing a hip grip that could be readily accommodate multiple users. It would be an additional improvement if the hip grip were adjustable to provide for the changing preferences of a kayaker. Another advancement would be made if the hip grip were easily removed from a kayak. It would to be a further advancement if the hip grip provided some give to prevent the pain generally associated with prolonged contact with a hip grip. It would be an additional advancement if the hip grip could be used to retain the hip portion of a boater in a small boat such as a canoe, a row boat, or a raft.
These and other advantages and improvements are provided by the present invention.
The present invention relates to novel hip grip for insertion into the cockpit of a boat such as a kayak, canoe or other small water craft. The hip grip has an inflatable bladder that may be positioned within the cockpit on an interior wall. The inflatable bladder may be positioned to retain the hip portion of a user.
An inflator may be provided to inflate the bladder. The inflator may be permanently connected to the bladder or may be attached to the bladder to inflate the bladder and disconnected from the bladder after the bladder is inflated.
When the inflator is connected to the bladder, the inflator is in fluid communication with the bladder. The inflator inflates the bladder infusing an inflation material into the bladder. Such inflation materials may include, but are not limited to a gas, a liquid, and a gel. The presently preferred inflation material is air because it is safe as easily manipulated. In addition, air within the bladders can serve as an emergency breathing supply to the kayaker in the event of capsizing. Moreover, when the inflation material is air or other inflation material that is less dense than water, the hip grip may also be less dense than water and additional buoyancy to the boat.
An inflated bladder exerts a pressure on the hip portion of a user seated within the cockpit, thus connecting the user to the boat. Because the boater is connected to the boat, the boater""s movements are transferred to the boat. A boater has greater control over the boat with a properly inflated hip grip with a conventional hip grip. This extra control allows the boater to more easily perform tricks and maneuver to avoid danger.
Once the inflation material is infused into the bladder, a retention valve retains to retain the inflation material within the bladder. The retention valve may be a one way valve that prevents the inflation material from flowing back out of the bladder. Another valve may be provided to allow for the removal of the inflation material from the bladder. Such a release valve is in fluid communication allowing a user to release inflation material from the bladder. The pressure of the inflatable hip grip on a user""s hips can be adjusted by infusing or releasing inflation material from the bladder. The retention valve and release valve may be combined into one valve which can alternately be opened or closed.
A fastener may be provided to secure the hip grip within the cockpit. Such fasteners may include permanent fasteners such as adhesives, screws, bolts, brads, and rivets. Additionally, the fasteners may allow for the easy removal and replacement of the hip grips. Such fasteners may include hook and loop fabric, snaps, tape, tethers, zippers, and the like.
An inflation tube may be provided to allow for the inflation and deflation of the bladder remotely from the bladder. The inflation tube is advantageous where the inflator is positioned or secured to the thigh portion of a user. With the inflator on the thigh of the user, the bladder may be inflated by a user activating the inflator by pressing down on the skirt covering the cockpit.
Several types of inflators can be used when the inflation material is air. For example, the inflator may be a mouthpiece configured to be connected to the bladder. When a user blows into the mouthpiece, the bladder is inflated with air. The air in the bladder may also serve as secondary air for a boater trapped beneath the water. Other inflators may include a vessel of compressed air. The vessel may be attached to the bladder and activated. The compressed air then exits the vessel and inflates the bladder.
Another inflator that may be used to infuse inflation material into the bladder is a hand pump. Such pumps may be compressed by hand and infuse air or other fluids into the bladder. A hand pump can be connected to a an inflation tube to position the hand pump distantly from the bladder. With the hand pump positioned away from the bladder, the hand pump can be accessed by the user to inflate the bladder after the user is seated within the cockpit of the boat.
The inflatable hip grips may also be contoured to accommodate a user. Channels may be provided within the bladder for receiving the inflation material. The channels create one or more chambers within the bladder. The channels may be configured to present a larger chamber near the top of the bladder and a smaller chamber near the bottom of the bladder. In this manner the inflatable hip grip may have the wedge shape of conventional hip grips.
A sleeve may also be provided to be place over the inflatable bladder. Such a sleeve may be constructed of a material that is flexible and able to withstand frequent immersions in water. The sleeve protects the bladders from punctures and premature wear. The sleeve may be configured to be removed and exchanged with another sleeve. The exchangeable sleeve can prolong the life of the hip grip system, and allow a user to change the color of the hip grip to match for example his boat.
The inflatable hip grip may also be attached to a seat cushion. In this manner additional padding may be provided for the user. The seat cushion may be configured to pad either the back or the posterior or the back and the posterior of the boater. Generally, the seat cushion may be attached to the seat of the boat with a fastener such as adhesives, screws, bolts, brads, rivets, hook and loop fabric, snaps, tape, tethers, zippers, and the like. Because the hip grip is attached to the seat cushion, the attaching the cushion to the seat will more securely connect the hip grip system within the cockpit of the boat may also help to more securely connect the user with his boat. This added connection can allow the boater to have more control over the boat.
A pair of inflatable bladders described above may be jointly inserted within the cockpit of a boat. With two inflatable bladders, the user""s hips are both secured to the boat. Where two bladders are used, the bladders may be fluidly connected to each other so that the infusion or release of inflation material from one bladder will change the amount of inflation material in the other bladder. Alternatively, the bladders may be fluidly isolated from each other so that a change in the amount of inflation material in one bladder will cause no change in the other bladder.
The invention also relates to a kayak seat to be placed within a kayak cockpit. The seat may have an inflatable hip grip as described above attached to a cushion. The seat may be secured within the cockpit by a fastener. Such fasteners may be hook and loop fabric, adhesives, snaps, tape, tethers, zippers, screws, bolts, brads, rivets and the like.
The novel inflatable hip grip of the present invention overcome many of the deficiencies of the current hip grip. The hip grip may be inflated and deflated to accommodate different users. Additionally, a user may change the pressure in the hip grip as needed for the user""s changing preferences. The hip grip may also be removed, replaced, and exchanged easily. The inflatable hip grip may also reduce the pain associated with the hip grip compressing the bones and pressure points of a user.
Thus, the present invention provides improvements to hip grips and for use in small water craft and these and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.